Press Row Podcast Episode 137: The Trouble(s) With FIFA

[RaychelSnr]

This week’s episode is a conversation with a full panel all about FIFA – namely, EA’s relationship to the embattled global organization and the reaction to the recent announcement of the inclusion of women into this fall’s FIFA 16. To what extent should EA evaluate its partnership with FIFA, considering the damning revelations of corruption and near-slave labor building World Cup stadiums? Should we be happy that a dozen women’s national teams have been added for FIFA 16, or should we be unhappy that there’s not more that can be done with them? It’s a spirited debate that goes in several unexpected directions.
Enjoy!

Joining us this week:

Owen Good, Polygon (@OwenGood)
Bryan Wiedey, PastaPadre/Hit The Pass (@pastapadre)
Chris Sanner, Operation Sports (@ChrisSnr)
Kat Bailey, US Gamer (@The_Katbot)
T.J. Lauerman, ThatSportsGamer (@ThatSportsGamer)
Samit Sarkar, Polygon (@SamitSarkar)
And your host, Richard Grisham from HitThePass (@richgrisham)

Send us your feedback! We love to hear from you. Do it one of these ways:

1)Follow the show on Twitter at @PressRowPodcast and send us some Tweets while you’re there
2) Email the show at [email protected]

Also, the Press Row Podcast is now available on iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/...ow/id563624090, Stitcher Radio (http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/operation-sports/press-row-podcast) , and the Windows Store, so subscribe to it and rate it too!

Lastly, check out our brand new compilation page on Audioboom at https://audioboom.com/channel/press-row-podcast, where all of our shows are easy to access from one page.

Run Time: 1:03

[rtkiii]

You lost me at Fifa Keep the podcasts coming!

[HenryClay1844]

You complain about the women not being able to play men and complain that they won't be there for the WWC in June. However we don't have youth teams or major leagues across the globe that a heck of a lot more people would want over the women. We don't have the Copa America in the game and millions more care about it than the WWC. It may be a bigger deal in America than elsewhere, but the world is a heck of a lot bigger than America and FIFA is a global game.

[HenryClay1844]

Owen is outraged that EA didn't add women's team in FIFA 12. Well Owen how do you think the Fans of the Turkish league felt to have lost their league in FIFA 12 and to see it kept out for 3 years? How do you think gamers in Ukraine feel to not have their league in the game? How do African gamers feel about having zero leagues for the entire continent of Africa and its nearly one billion people. There are a heck of a lot more people that follow the game in those places than follow women's soccer.

There are a heck of a lot of people out there who aren't Americans. It is just amazing to me how out of touch with the global nature of soccer you guys can still be after all this time.

[Turbojugend]

Psst. Rich. It's "ka-TAR", not "cutter".

[wisajiuye]

There are a heck of a lot more people that follow the game in those places than follow women's soccer.